How To Start a Permacomputing Collective

Overview of a simplified four-step process, using fermentation as a model for collective action.

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• Fermentation starts spontaneously. Until the 19th century invention of industrial yeast, most ferments were based on ambient yeasts already present in the environment. When it comes to organising, there is no need for years of planning or institutional support to get a community started. We just need a little bit of initiative.

• Fermentation is a multiplying process. A tiny bit of yeast, when fed properly, can take over a huge vat. A nourished community can develop and grow.

• Fermentation has momentum. Once you get it going, all you have to do is keep the conditions right. Groups and collectives caring for the right conditions, a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere and a code of conduct for example, keep their momentum.

• Fermentation can go dormant and be restarted. When energy levels temporarily dwindle, the group activity slows until a new impulse arrives.

• Fermentation is symbiotic - aim for accessibility and intersectionality - connect with other groups and welcome people with related interests and politics, yet with varying backgrounds and perspectives.